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Cape Town - Sharks coach Robert du Preez has praised his side following a hard-fought Super Rugby win over the Blues on Saturday.
The Sharks had raced to a 19-0 lead that they held onto until half-time, but they were then met by a vastly improved Blues outfit in a second half that saw the game in the balance.
In the end, the Sharks left with a 26-7 bonus point win, but speaking after the match Du Preez revealed that it was an extremely tough encounter.
"We played against a really good team and a team that ran the Crusaders close. It was like a Test match out there ... really tough and uncompromising," he said.
"It's all about getting properly recovered now because there are a lot of bumps and bruises out there ... it was a very physical game."
Wing Sbu Nkosi is one player in particular who is struggling with a knock after the match, but Du Preez expects him to be fully recovered for this weekend's clash against the Stormers in Durban.
The Sharks have now won both of their matches in 2019 with bonus points to sit top of the log in the tournament's early stages, but Du Preez is expecting much more from his charges as the season progresses.
"We're obviously really pleased with the five points. I thought the boys showed great courage out there. They really played for each other," he said.
"We want to keep on growing and for us it is really important that we win our games at home. To get five points at home is invaluable. We just want to get better and we haven't seen the best of this team, that's for sure."
